PSYC Course Descriptions

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS FOR PSYCHOLOGY

PSYC 112 Human Sexuality

Scientific explanation of human sexuality that reviews historical perspectives. Includes crosscultural and contemporary issues.

PSYC 127 General Psychology

History and methodology of psychology, biological basis of behavior, perception, memory, learning, motivation, human development, personality, abnormal behavior, and social psychology.

PSYC 217 Psychology of Adjustment

Basic psychological principles as explanations for challenges encountered in adult life.  Includes abnormal psychology, psychological evaluation, and therapies.  Not intended to provide evaluation or therapy to individual students.  Prerequisite: PSYC 127.

PSYC 225 Child Psychology

Physical, intellectual, social, and emotional factors in child growth and development.  Prerequisite: PSYC 127.

PSYC 226 Human Growth and Development

Surveys normal lifespan changes, including physiological, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral changes.  Prerequisite: PSYC 127 or permission of instructor.

PSYC 235 Educational Psychology

Principles of psychology applied to problems of education and learning.

PSYC 240 Abnormal Psychology

Introduces major mental disorders (as classified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition) from several perspectives such as cognitive, humanistic, and historical and in terms of symptoms, etiology, diagnosis, demographic factors, and treatment options.  Prerequisite: PSYC 127.

PSYC 245 Social Psychology

Social influences on individual behavior and the dynamics of group interaction. Includes research methods, attribution, attitudes and behavior, interpersonal attraction, altruism, aggression, conflict, prejudice, social influence, and group dynamics.  Prerequisite: PSYC 127.

PSYC 290 Forensic Psychology

Introduces students to the field of Forensic Psychology.  Focus is on the application of psychological methods and theories to the legal system.  An introduction to the legal system will be included as the system relates to psychopathology and crime, the insanity defense, competency to stand trial, other issues of criminal responsibility, capital punishment, crime and delinquency, violence and risk assessment, and victimology.